Pregnant? How to safely prepare your nest

So you're pregnant and feeling the nesting urge, huh? Wanting to do everything from starting on the nursery to baby-proofing the entire house?

While we typically encourage taking on projects yourself, being pregnant creates some risk factors you need to consider before diving in. With that in mind, we've asked a few of our favorite OB/Gyns for some basic rules to live by:

If it stinks, stay away!

Keep away from toxic chemicals to protect your unborn child.

But what are considered "toxic chemicals," and how can you avoid them?

Most of us know about the negative effects caused to a fetus by using illicit drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and some prescription drugs. What you may not know is that there are the more common tetrogens around the house, such as paint, paint removers, bleach, lye, glues, even cat litter — all of which can be dangerous to an unborn baby.

Most of these chemicals are risky only after prolonged exposure. But to be on the safe side, delegate a task to someone else if it involves working with a toxic chemical of any kind.

Baby's room

Painting the baby nursery can be fun, but most paints and sealants give off fumes that can be dangerous to your unborn baby.

Refinishing baby furniture might seem like a great idea, but be aware that sanding or scraping old paint can also be a dangerous activity as it can release toxic particles into the air.

Jane Tip: If you're working on a pre-1970 home, be aware that lead-based paints were often used. If you sand or scrape lead-based paint, lead could be released into the air.

Lead poisoning can cause severe developmental problems in unborn babies. If your home might contain lead, contact an environmental home assessor to help determine the amount of lead in your home.

Always select a water-based paint designed for indoor use that does not contain lead or mercury. Most indoor latex paints fall under this category, but always check to make sure.

If you must use oil-based paint, schedule painting or renovation for a time when you won't be around, allowing several hours for the fumes to dissipate before returning.

When storing unused paint or chemicals, seal tightly and store them outdoors.

When it comes to using glues and solvents, don't. These are toxic chemicals, so instead, stick to projects that use nuts and bolts.

The strongest glue you should use is basic Elmer's glue. Any type of epoxy or rubber cement should be a "no-zone" during your pregnancy. Their vapors, even in small amounts, could be harmful.

Ventilation

Proper ventilation is a must. You can create good ventilation by opening windows or doors opposite from each other. This creates cross ventilation and keeps the space you are working in safer. If ventilation isn't clearing out the vapors, then leave the area.

Jane Tip: Use exhaust fans (blowing air from inside the room to outside through a door or window) to ventilate while painting or renovating. Also consider covering air conditioning and heating return openings in the room being worked on to prevent the fumes from circulating to other areas of your house.

Cover up!

Protect your child by protecting yourself. While protective clothing and gear for home improvements may not be fun to wear, it's a must. Most of us think, "What's a little sawdust?" Remember that anything your body comes in contact with can possibly affect the development of your fetus.

What to wear: a properly fitting mask with no gaps and disposable latex or vinyl gloves, such as those used for dishwashing.

Electricity and babies don't mix

While electricity must always be handled with care, it's a definite "don't" during pregnancy. Even accidental small shocks can prove too much for a fetus' tiny heart.

Your center of gravity is off

As your belly grows, your center of gravity tends to shift. This adds to issues of clumsiness. Many women even forget their bellies are there!

For this reason, working on an elevated platform like a ladder requires extra precaution. If you must climb a ladder, make sure someone is holding it steady. Heck, if there's someone else there, make him or her get on the ladder!

Also, lifting becomes increasingly difficult the further along you get in your pregnancy. In lifting anything, make sure to use your legs. When lifting becomes uncomfortable, stop.

Garden, litter box hazards

Gardening may seem like the perfect task to take on while you're pregnant, or at least during the early stages of your pregnancy.

But toxoplasma — a single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii — causes a disease known as toxoplasmosis.

This parasite can seriously harm an unborn baby. The most common transmission of a toxoplasma infection is from cats, via cat feces.

Often, humans will come in contact with it while gardening or changing the litter box and inadvertently pass the parasite from their hands to their mouths or eyes.

If you're pregnant, take these precautions when gardening or changing your cat's litter box:

• When working in the garden, wear proper gloves and avoid touching your mouth and eyes. Assume your cat, or a neighborhood cat, has used your flowerbox as a toilet.

• Have someone else change your cat's litter box. If you must change it yourself, use rubber gloves and a mask and do it outside to avoid breathing in vapors.

Cleaning the house

While you're pregnant, have someone else take over the clean-up duties that require the use of toxic substances such as bleach, oven cleaners or other cleaning agents. All of these could potentially harm an unborn baby.

If you must use chemical cleaning agents, wear proper gloves and a mask, and open the windows for ventilation.

Remember, these are simply guidelines to follow as best you can. We just want you to be safe, secure and happy — hey, you're about to be a mother!

Be Jane is a monthly home-improvement feature in digs. It's adapted from www.BeJane.com, the online community created by Heidi Baker and Eden Jarrin.